Description:

On glittering Capri, anything can be a mirage. And no one holds a grudge like family.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes an electrifying thriller about an opulent family retreat to Italy that’s shattered by the resurfacing of a decades-old crime.

In 1992 Sarah Lingate is found dead below the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Despite suspicions that the old-money Lingates are involved, Sarah’s death is ruled an accident. And every year, the family returns to prove it’s true. But on the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s death, the Lingates arrive at the villa to find a surprise waiting for them—the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.

Haunted by the specter of that night, the legendary Lingate family unity is pushed to a breaking point, and Helen seizes the opportunity. Enlisting the help of Lorna Moreno, a family assistant, the two plot their escape from Helen’s paranoid, insular family. But when Lorna disappears and the investigation into Sarah’s death is reopened, Helen has to confront the fact that everyone who was on Capri thirty years ago remains a suspect—her controlling father Richard, rarely-lucid aunt Naomi, distant uncle Marcus, and their circle of friends, visitors, and staff. Even Lorna, her closest ally, may not be who she seems.

As long-hidden secrets about that night boil to surface, one thing becomes clear: not everyone will leave the island alive.

Adele’s Review:

3.5 rounded up to 4

Salt Water is set in magnificent Italy, on the isle of Capri. The setting drew this reviewer to the book, since I have wonderful memories of my visit to Capri decades ago. The tiny island, the Amalfi Coast, and the breathtaking views are impossible to forget. I enjoyed the novel’s sweeping descriptions like a return visit. The characters in Salt Water have a history in Capri and return each year on the anniversary of the death of their matriarch, Sarah Lingate.

Salt Water is a multi-layered novel with several characters to know and a complex writing style. The story is told in dual timelines and multiple points of view. The pacing is a slow burn, though the story twists and turns keep the plotlines interesting, especially in the second half of the book. Readers who like mysteries set in faraway places might enjoy this one.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6851844661

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CWB322KZ